How did you decide you wanted to become a barrister?
It sounds like a horribly insufferable thing to say but really, I have always known that this is what I wanted to do. When I was young, things were a bit complicated in my family and I ended up being the subject of family law proceedings, so I think I have always been interested in the law for that reason.
I was quite a goal-oriented child and by the age of about 12 or 13 I had drawn up a list of careers which I thought might suit me and decided then and there that being a barrister was the best one. Overall, it was a pretty uninformed prediction that turned out to be the right choice.
What were your highlights during your journey to the Bar - or were there any challenges, and if so, how did you overcome them?
Because I was set on becoming a barrister from quite early on, I had anticipated coming straight out of university, going to bar school and then starting pupillage. I think the best advice I received prior to coming to the Bar was that there is no rush, and I really took it on board.
I feel like I’ve lived a few different lives on my way to the Bar (cue eye roll because I’m still only in my twenties). I worked in Greece with asylum seekers for some time which was in equal measure harrowing and joyful – I got to know some wonderful people who deserved a lot better than the system they were stuck with. I then spent a year supporting adults with learning disabilities, which again had its tough moments but was also huge amounts of fun.
In terms of challenges, I think like a lot of people I suffer with this nagging feeling that I’m missing some essential piece of skill or knowledge that everyone else around me seems to possess. The urge when that happens is to run in the opposite direction and I think for a while I would succumb to avoidance rather than do things that scare me. Perhaps it’s trite, but what has helped me is to acknowledge that it’s fine to be scared; it doesn’t need to stand in the way of me giving it a go anyway – and I always feel better when I do.
How has your experience as an LGBTQ+ person shaped or impacted your practice?
It’s a tricky question to answer because it’s hard to know how my experience in life would be different if I weren’t an LGBTQ+ person – I’m conscious that I’m very fortunate in that way. I suppose when I look around me, the things I probably owe to being queer are a strong sense of community, an openness as to what a family looks like, and a lack of judgement (I feel inclined to add, not a lack of professional judgement – please don’t come for me, BSB).
Those are all things that serve me in my practice, and it is my hope that clients feel welcome, safe and heard when we work together. I recently had an LGBTQ+ client who had been contending with a lot of shame around their personal life and told me that it meant a lot to speak to someone who ‘got it’. I really valued that.
Do you think attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people within the legal sector have shifted during your time in practice? If so, how?
I am in the very early stages of practice so if there have been any shifts in attitudes, they have been sufficiently subtle that I haven’t noticed! All I can say is that I have never had anything but positivity from those I work with.
I know that the landscape is more complex for transgender people at this moment in time and I don’t want to speak on anyone’s behalf, but I hope that the compassion and acceptance I have experienced is being extended to all LGBTQ+ people at the Bar.
Are there LGBTQ+ or ally barristers doing great work who you think should be shouted out or celebrated?
I’m very lucky to be part of a chambers (Coram) where 18% of members identify as LGBTQ+. The culture in chambers is fantastic. We have loads of members who have a real interest in alternative families work – Dr Bianca Jackson in particular. I was able to shadow Rachel Cooper during pupillage, and she is a formidable barrister. Work aside, this year we had a very enthusiastic committee organising our annual drag queen bingo event. It has been a joy to share in everyone’s excitement and positivity around that.
My co-pupil, Cason Yong, is also queer and it was one of the first things we bonded over. I was against him in a case for the first time recently (which was a really weird experience!) so can now officially attest that he is a brilliant barrister and should be celebrated.
Also, she is not a barrister, but Jacqui Rhule-Dagger (founder of Legally Queerly) definitely deserves a mention for her excellent advocacy work. I was very honoured to be included in the Legally Queerly list this year.
What advice would you give your younger self - or other LGBTQ+ aspiring barristers - about life at the Bar?
Make space for yourself and ask for help! I was the first person in my family to go to university, and I didn’t know any lawyers or have anyone telling me how to do it. There came a point where I had to start leaning on people I had met through mini pupillages or whose work I was following. Without that, everything would have been impossible to navigate.
I used to feel quite guilty and burdensome for that, and people would reassure me that they genuinely wanted to help. It was hard to believe at the time, but now I am at the Bar I really get it – I had help to get here and I definitely feel like I need to pass on the baton. It doesn’t stop when you start your practice either. I am constantly seeking advice from those around me, and I am a better barrister for it!
My other clichéd advice would be to surround yourself with good people. Life at the Bar can be exhausting and overwhelming (cue second eye roll, because I’ve only been practising for a year and I’m sure I don’t know the half of it). I am kept sane by my friends both at the Bar and outside of it.
Also, get a cat. Guaranteed to make life better after a long day at court.